


Drag the Knife

by kayla



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-06
Updated: 2012-09-06
Packaged: 2017-11-13 16:20:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/505409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kayla/pseuds/kayla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone mourns differently.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Drag the Knife

The pellets exploded at his feet before he even had a chance to register his enemy’s arrival, and even as he tried to seal his gills shut and stop drawing breath, the sulfurous smelling gas invaded his lungs, making his vision foggy and sending him stumbling into the wall. He leaned against it for support, trying to claw his way back up as he sank to the floor. She appeared then, drawing herself out of the shadows like some menacing visage of death, her mask glaring at him as if it too possessed emotion.

“Here fishy, fishy,” she cooed, crouching down to his level before his vision swam and faded to black.

-*-

He was faintly aware of the prickling sensation on the soles of his feet before he woke, unsurprised to find himself firmly secured to metal slab. A quick pull to test his bonds and she was on top of him again, mask making her appear gleefully insane and delighted at his current state. In her hand she held one of her trademark sais, the tip darkened with his blood.

“As you can see I’ve been quite bored during your little nap. Had to try to wake you up somehow.”

They should have expected this. Blood was thicker than seawater, hollow words he had spat at his king before, but their meaning was certain now. Cheshire had come to avenge her sister, apparently killed by his hand. Kaldur’ahm owed Jade Nguyen a debt, and she was about to take it out of his hide.

“Care to guess why I’ve invited you to join me this evening?” her voice was just as always, coated with malice but still coy and somewhat inviting. It was odd and had always put him at unease. He didn’t answer, merely holding her gaze through the slitted holes in her mask. He was the dutiful son now, every bit as terrible and evil as his father and he had a part to play. One that Artemis had sacrificed her life and happiness for.

Silence welcomed them. There were no discernible noises. Wherever Cheshire had hidden them, she had done well.

“It’s not polite to keep a lady waiting.”

The Atlantean jutted out his jaw, still holding her demonic gaze. He had learned his role, and he wouldn’t deviate it from it.

“Say it!” her screech bounced off the walls, startling him enough that he jumped a little purely out of reflex. Cheshire had always been incredibly skilled at keeping thing professional and clinical, a skill she’d obviously learned from her father, one that her sister had not been lucky enough to inherit. “Put it to words. Confess your sins.”

His silence did not satisfy her, and she spun the sai quickly on her fingertips before dragging the blade in a straight, horizontal line along his calf. Aqualad, Black Manta II, whatever he has chosen to call himself – still did not respond. Worse things have been done to him before. Tula’s loss hurt worse than a simple cut. Their rapport began, Jade demanding him to acknowledge his sin, and his refusal earning him another cut and another and another, up both legs and his chest and along both arms. His position on the slab prevented him from seeing exactly what was being done to him, but he could feel every drag of the blade all the same. He was not sure how long this continued before the blade started gliding into his still bleeding wounds, deeper and deeper.

“You told me once that you were immune to jellyfish poison,” she murmured, breaking the monotony. “I’ve cooked up something very special for you, fish boy.” And it was the entire introduction she gave before pouring the viscous fluid over his wounded legs, his chest, every part of his body she had previously carved. The jagged cuts bubbled immediately, spewing yellowed puss and he couldn't stop himself from screaming, his body felt as though it’s on fire. He imagined his limbs set aflame, that Cheshire was going to finish him off for a crime he didn’t commit, a murder he would never think of carrying out. The world spun black again.

-*-

This time he awakens near enough where he was taken, sore and groggy and feeling so uncharacteristically warm. A simple glance at his forearms reveal Jade’s handiwork. Driven into his skin, puckered and infected by god knows what concoction, are the words “I KILLED ARTEMIS CROCK” over and over.


End file.
